THz Generation and Detection by Fluorenone Based Organic Crystals

• Published in: ACS photonics 2018-03, Vol.5 (3), p.671-677
• Main Authors: Savoini, Matteo, Huber, Lucas, Cuppen, Herma, Abreu, Elsa, Kubli, Martin, Neugebauer, Martin J, Duan, Yulong, Beaud, Paul, Xu, Jialiang, Rasing, Theo, Johnson, Steven L
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• ISSN: 2330-4022; 2330-4022
• DOI: 10.1021/acsphotonics.7b00792

Direct study and control of material properties using terahertz (THz) frequency pulses is an emerging subject with strong potential for future applications. One aspect of the development of THz-based techniques is the search for new materials that can efficiently convert higher frequency light into the THz-frequency range and serve to detect and characterize weak THz radiation with high sensitivity. Here, the capabilities of a new class of THz generators and detectors based on diphenylfluorenone (DPFO) crystals are explored. We demonstrate that DPFO crystals have an extremely large electro-optical coefficients centered at around f ≈ 1.5 THz which makes them ideal for THz detection at this frequency. Excitation with intense femtosecond near-infrared pulses leads to emission of narrow-band (Δf/f ≈ 20%) THz radiation near 1.5 THz. This frequency range does not overlap significantly with water vapor absorption lines, which allows for practical applications under ambient conditions.